Do you refuse or deny your statement?

Today’s English
February 10th, 2017

He was in trouble.  I gave him the money he needed.  But he denied.

Can you use “deny" here? No, you can’t. 

The words “refuse” and “deny" may look synonymous but they differ in meaning.

The term “refuse" means “to say that you don’t accept an offer"  or “to say that you won’t  do what is asked to do"

1.I refused his call for a date. (Not I denied…)

2. Our principal asked me to take charge of furniture. I simply/firmly refused. (Not denied)

3.We insisted her to talk to him but she refused to do so.

On the other hand, the word “deny" has the meaning “to say that something is not true"  or “to withhold something from a person".

1.He denied the charges/rumours against him. ( Not he refused….)

2.Sasikala denied the statement made by Panneer Selvam about his resignation. (Not refused)

3.The management denied him the promotion he deserved. (Withholding)

4.His parents saved his future by denying him bike and smartphone.

Remember,  you refuse something but something is denied to you.

“To deny one’s own experiences is to put a lie into the lips of one’s own life. It’s no less than a denial of the soul.” – ( Oscar Wilde in “De Profundis”)